Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Easter table for the Grand kidlets




This Easter, I'm doing a colorful
FUN table with the grands in mind.






Lots of bunnies surround
a cluster of fresh flowers on
the sunroom table.
The rabbit teapot was a gift from dear friends
who know I collect them.



I've had all the white bunnies for years.
However, the little cabbage creamer, S&P shakers &
the 3-leaf cabbage plate are new
this year from Tuesday Morning.



Won't you help me find the matching sugar bowl?
My TM was out of them.






I'm using the BL Gibson dishes
(what did I ever do before them?)
I've added a little pop of
polka-dot color with square salad plates.




I machine embroidered the yellow
waffle-weave napkins last year.


There is a R A I N B O W of colors on this table!





The flatware is American Harmony, by Oneida.




The white hyacinths are going
to be planted outside soon.
In the meantime, they smell
HEAVENLY!



I loved the colorful look of the dotted paper
so I left it in place & just tucked them
down into my white asparagus cache pots.


As the sunroom darkens with
evening's approach, the
egg shaped votive candles
cast a soft glow.





The pink hydrangea will also be planted outside.
Its open-work cache pot is really a candle holder
that I found in a thrift shop for $2!


It is so perfect,
it almost doesn't look real
but I promise you, it is!



Hey...no nibbling on the centerpiece!!




I'm joining Susan's
beautiful blog

Between Naps on The Porch

for



Thank you Susan, for hosting this fun
event every week.


Thank you for stopping by
The Gazebo House!
Have a Blessed Easter!

fondly,
Photobucket

Monday, March 29, 2010

RABBITS for Table Top Tues & Nifty Thrifty


We have RABBITS all over the house!
Click below to hear them sing.





Sorry its a little blurry...
I just learned how to make a video
with my new camera and
how to upload it to the blog.

What fun I'm going to have!



I'm joining both Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for


and Linda at Coastal Charm for


This is the sunroom tabletop vignette
just off the kitchen.

See that white lacey cut-work
container holding the pink hydrangea?
Only $2 at my favorite thrift store!


It looks beautiful with a candle glowing inside.
You'll see more of this table on Thursday.



This cute little bunny in a cabbage cream pitcher and

the matching 3 cabbage leaf serving dish

as well as these adorable little
salt & pepper shakers
were all on sale at Tuesday Morning.

If anyone spots the matching sugar bowl
grab it for me, will you please?


My round table near the stairs has a
Fitz & Floyd egg plate as well as
a cabbage toting bunny candy dish.
Both came from T.J.Maxx long ago.


Can you believe those carnations
STILL look nice from St. Patrick's Day?!
How's that for Nifty Thrifty?
I sure got my money's worth on that purchase.

I've just changed the water daily
to keep them fresh & put them
inside my Lenox bowl.

Thank you, Marty & Linda for hosting these fun memes.
Please visit both of these lovely ladies for more ideas
and thanks for stopping by the Gazebo House!

fondly,
Photobucket

Friday, March 26, 2010

Easter Bread



This is a very old family recipe handed down from my 84 yr. old husband's aunt, Jane Cwiklinski.
It must be close to 100 years old.
She made it for him every year until she passed away & now I carry on the tradition. It is a very sweet bread with the sugar crumb topping & it makes GREAT toast on Easter morning!


SWEET EASTER BREAD

Makes 3 large plus 1 med. sized loaves
or
Makes 2 large plus 3 med. sized loaves
  • 6 whole eggs
  • 6 egg yolks (use whites in something else)
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1/2 # butter
  • 2 Cups milk (divided use)
  • 2 packages. dry yeast or 1 lg. cake of yeast
  • 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 oz. brandy (optional~I never use it)
  • 7-8 Cups flour (unsifted)
Warm 3/4 cup milk & add yeast plus 3/4 C. flour to make a thick sponge. Set aside in warm place to rise. To the rest of the warm milk, add butter & salt. Set aside & allow to melt. Beat eggs & sugar until thick. Set aside. In a large bowl, add 7 to 8 cups of flour. Add the milk with the butter & salt. Add the yeast sponge, beaten eggs, vanilla & brandy. Mix thoroughly. Knead well, adding flour as needed, until dough leaves your hands. Cover & let rise in a warm place until double in size. Punch down & let rise again. Put into greased bread pans & let rise again. Brush tops with 1 beaten egg then sprinkle crumb topping. Bake for 35 min. at 350ยบ.
CRUMB TOPPING
  • 1/2 Cup sugar
  • 1/2 Cup flour
  • 4 Tablespoons. butter
Mix well & sprinkle on top of bread loaves then bake. Cool on racks. I make this to give away as gifts at Easter. You may certainly cut the amounts in half to make less loaves.


 Printable Recipe HERE.


I embroidered DGD, Ms. C. this apron last year.
The grass is fringe & makes it 3-dimensional



We sure have fun together in the kitchen!
These photos are from last year
but I wanted to post the recipe,
in case someone wanted to try it soon.

I hope to get some nicer ones
with my new camera next week.
I'm linking with the beautiful blog,
Designs by Gollum for



Thanks for joining us at The Gazebo House.
Happy Easter!


Photobucket

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Sewing Ladies Luncheon + Apple Bubbletini


I'm linking with the beautiful blog,
Designs by Gollum for


with the Apple Bubbletini recipe

as well as Susan's

Between Naps on The Porch



Thank you Susan & Michael, for hosting these fun
events every week.


Since my flower arrangement from St. Patrick's day
still looked pretty,
I invited my sewing
friends to join me for lunch prior to
starting on our stitching projects.


The carnations opened up beautifully.
I tucked in a few blue ribbons in place of the Irish picks.

I set the table using BH&G green dishes along with
Fitz & Floyd salad plates & accessories.





Each salad plate depicts a different fruit.
We have lemons
(which you saw last week)
and apples, too.



We have pears.

We have pomegranates, too.

This is a *new-to-me* set of flatware
that my sister found in my
parent's attic &
passed it on to me.

It is very delicate & perfect for the ladies!
I love the flowers & swirls down each handle.




It is Wm. A. ROGERS ONEIDA Silverplate.
The pattern is Wildwood /Always from 1958.



Sis also gave me a green
depression glass butter dish
that was my Mom's.



How cool is that?

Thanks Sis!





Along with soup & salad, I'm serving:

Apple Bubbletinis.

I watched Claire Robinson make them on Food TV last week.
  • 1 cup fresh apple cider
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 cup apple brandy or Calvados
  • 1 bottle Prosecco or Cava, chilled
  • 1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh, for garnish

Directions

Mix the cider, pomegranate juice, and apple brandy in a glass measuring cup or pitcher until combined. Chill until ready to serve.

To make a Bubbletini, pour about 1/4 cup of the cider mixture into a chilled glass. Top with ice-cold Prosecco. To garnish, either very thinly slice the apple crosswise on a mandoline slicer and float the wheel in the cocktail, or cut thin wedges from the apple and garnish the rim.



That poor little bee looks like he's trying to climb out of the drink!
I won these beautiful Napolian bee glasses
at Twirl and Taste
Thank you, Libby...I ♥ them!


Yum...My favorite!

I showed you my new water pitcher last week but it looks so good with these green dishes that I had to include this shot with the view of the candle through the handle.

I took the extra flowers that were in the two little green vases &
combined them into one bouquet for the sideboard for desserts.

Wish you could join us for a nice
hot cup of coffee or tea.

You don't have to sew to join in!



Thanks for visiting The Gazebo House!

fondly,

Photobucket